# NAME

Sparrow
 
# SYNOPSIS

Sparrow - multipurpose scenarios manager.

# Install

    $ sudo yum install git # only required for installing private plugins
    $ sudo yum install curl
    $ cpanm Sparrow

# Build status

[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/melezhik/sparrow.svg)](https://travis-ci.org/melezhik/sparrow)

# Sparrow plugins

Sparrow plugins are shareable multipurpose scenarios distributed via central repository - [SparrowHub](https://sparrowhub.org).
Every single plugin represents a various scripts to solve a specific task. Plugins are easily installed, configured and run on
dedicated servers with the help of sparrow console client. 

The notion of sparrow plugins is very close to the conception of CPAN modules in Perl or Ruby gems in Ruby.
It's just a small suites of scripts to solve a specific tasks.

Supported plugin types.

Sparrow supports two types of plugins depending on underlying runner to execute plugin scenarios. They are:

* [Outthentic](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic) Plugins

* [SWAT](https://github.com/melezhik/swat) Plugins


To find a specific sparrow plugin say this:

    $ sparrow plg search nginx

To install a sparrow plugin say this: 

    $ sparrow plg install nginx-check

See [sparrow command line API](#api) below.
 
# Sparrow client

`Sparrow` is a console client to search, install, setup and run various sparrow plugins. 

Think about it as of `cpan client` for CPAN modules or `gem client` for Ruby gems.

# Sparrow basic entities

Sparrow architecture comprises of 4 basic parts:

* Plugins
* Tasks
* Projects
* Task Boxes

# Tasks

_Task_ is configurable sparrow plugin. Some plugins does not require configuration and could be run as is,
but many ones require some piece of input data. Thus sparrow task is a container for:

* plugin
* plugin configuration

Plugin configuration is just a text file in one of 4 formats:

* [Config::General](https://metacpan.org/pod/Config::General) format - consumed by Outthentic plugins
* YAML format - consumed by both Swat and Outthentic plugins
* JSON format - consumed by Outthentic plugins
* [Config::Tiny](https://metacpan.org/pod/Config::Tiny) format - consumed by Swat plugins

# Projects

Projects are _logical groups_ of sparrow tasks. It is convenient to split a whole list of tasks to different logical groups. 
Like some tasks for system related issues - f.e. checking [disk available space](https://sparrowhub.org/info/df-check) or inspecting [stale processes](https://sparrowhub.org/info/stale-proc-check), other tasks for
web services related issues - f.e. [checking nginx health](https://sparrowhub.org/info/nginx-check) or [monitoring http errors](https://sparrowhub.org/info/logdog) in web server logs, so on. 

# Task Boxes

Sparrow tasks boxes are JSON format files to describe sequential tasks to run. 

You could think about sparrow boxes as of multi tasks. Sparrow runs tasks from the box sequentially.


# API

This is a sparrow command line API documentation.

## Projects API

Sparrow project is a logical group of sparrow tasks. To create a project use `sparrow project create` command:

**sparrow project create $project\_name**

Command examples:

    # system level tasks
    $ sparrow project create system

    # web servers related tasks
    $ sparrow project create web-servers

To get project information say this:

**sparrow project show $project\_name**

For example:

    $ sparrow project show system

To get projects list say this:

**sparrow project list**

To remove project data say this:

**sparrow project remove $project\_name**

For example:

    $ sparrow project remove web-servers

***NOTE!*** This command will remove all project tasks as well!

## Plugins API

To search available plugins use `sparrow plg search` command:

**sparrow plg search $pattern**

Where $pattern is Perl regular expression pattern.

Examples:

  
    # find ssh-* plugins
    $ sparrow plg search ssh

    [found sparrow plugins]
    
    type    name
    
    public  ssh-sudo-check
    public  ssh-sudo-try
    public  sshd-check
    
    # find package managers plugins
    $ sparrow plg search package

    [found sparrow plugins]
    
    type    name
    
    public  package-generic
    

To list all available plugins say this:

    $ sparrow plg search 

### Index API

Sparrow index is cached data used by sparrow to search plugins.

Index consists of two parts:

* private plugins index , see [SPL file](#spl-file) section for details
* public  plugins index, [PUBLIC PLUGINS](#public-plugins) section for details

There are two basic command to work with index:

* **sparrow index summary**

This command will show timestamps and file locations for public and private index files.

* **sparrow index update**

This command will fetch fresh index from SparrowHub and update local cached index.

This is very similar to what `cpan index reload` command does.

You need `sparrow index update` to get know about updates, changes of SparrowHub repository. For example
when someone release new version of plugin.

See [public plugins](#public-plugins) section for details on sparrow public plugins and SparrowHub.

### Installing sparrow plugins

**sparrow plg install $plugin\_name**

For example:

    $ sparrow plg search  nginx        # to get know available nginx* plugins
    $ sparrow plg install nginx-check  # to download and install a chosen plugin
    $ sparrow plg install nginx-check --version 0.1.1 # install specific version

To see installed plugin list say this:

    $ sparrow plg list

To get installed plugin information say this:

**sparrow plg show $plugin\_name**

To remove plugin installed use `sparrow plg remove` command:

**sparrow plg remove $plugin\_name**

For example:

    $ sparrow plg remove df-check


### Getting plugin man page

If plugin author supply his plugin with man page it could be shown as:

**sparrow plg man $plugin\_name**

For example:

    $ sparrow plg man df-check


## Tasks API

### Create tasks

To create a task use `sparrow task add` command:

**sparrow task add $project\_name $task\_name $plugin\_name [opts]**

Tasks always belong to projects, so to create a task you have to create a project first if not exists.
Tasks binds a plugin with configuration, so to create a task you have to install a plugin first.

Command examples:

    $ sparrow project create system
    $ sparrow plg install df-check
    $ sparrow task add system disk-health df-check


Options:

* --quiet - suppress output of this command.

For example:

    $ sparrow task add system disk-health df-check --quiet 1

* --host - pass hostname parameter.

It's useful when create tasks for swat plugins

    $ sparrow task add web nginx-check swat-nginx --host 127.0.0.1:80

### Getting task list

To list all the task with projects use:

**sparrow task list**

### Run plugins

There are two ways to run sparrow plugins:

* as\_is

* as tasks

The first one is simplest as it does not require creating a task at all. If you don't want provide a specific plugin configuration,
you may run a plugin as is using  `sparrow plg run` command:


**sparrow plg run [ parameters ]**

For example:

    $ sparrow plg run df-check

Parameters:

* **verbose**

Sets verbose mode to get some extra message when running plugin 

The second way requires task creation and benefits in applying specific configuration for a plugin:

**sparrow task run $project\_name $task\_name [ parameters ]**

For example:

    $ sparrow task run system disk-health

See [configuring tasks](#configuring-tasks) section on how one can configure task plugin.

Parameters:

* **verbose**

### Setting runtime parameters 

***NOTE!*** Runtime parameters are only supported for Outthentic plugins.

It is possible to pass _whatever_ runtime configuration parameters when running tasks or plugins:

    $ sparrow plg run df-check --param threshold=60

    $ sparrow task run system disk-health --param threshold=60

    # or even nested and multi parameters!

    $ sparrow plg run foo --param foo.bar.baz=60 --param id=100

Runtime parameters override default parameters ones set in tasks configurations, see [configuring tasks](#configuring-task) section.

### Setting plugin runner parameters

When executing sparrow plugin sparrow relies on underlying runner defined by plugin type. There are two types of sparrow plugins:

* Outthentic Plugins

* SWAT Plugins

Both runners accept specific parameters. For outthentic runner parameters follow [Outthentic](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic#options)
documentation. For swat runner parameters follow [Swat](https://github.com/melezhik/swat#swat-runner) documentation.

Here are some examples:

    # outthentic plugins:
    $ sparrow task run system disk-health --silent
    $ sparrow task run system disk-health --debug 2

    # swat plugins:
    $ sparrow task run web nginx-check --prove -Q

### Running tasks with cron

When running tasks with cron it is handy only have an output if something goes wrong, 
f.e. if plugin failed for some reasons. Use `--cron` flag to enable this behavior:

**sparrow task run $project\_name $task\_name --cron**

Running task with --cron flag suppress a normal output and only emit something in case of failures.

Example:

    $ sparrow task system disk-health --cron # pleas keep quite if disk space is ok

### Configuring tasks

Task configuration is a some input parameters consumed by plugin binded to task. 
User should consult plugin documentation to get know a certain structure of configuration data to feed.

Sparrow supports two configuration formats:

* Config::Tiny    ( Swat plugins )
* Config::General ( Outthentic plugins )
* YAML ( Outthentic and Swat plugins )
* JSON ( Outthentic plugins )

Config::General format is _default_ format for task configuration.  Use `task ini` command to set task configuration:

**sparrow task ini $project\_name $task\_name**

For example:

    $ export EDITOR=nano

    $ sparrow task ini system disk-health

    # disk used threshold in %
    threshold = 80

Having this sparrow will save plugin configuration in the file related to task and will use it during task run:

    $ sparrow task run system disk-health # the value of threshold is 80

User could copy existed configuration from file using `task load_ini` command:

**sparrow task load_ini $project\_name $task\_name /path/to/ini/file**

For example:

    $ sparrow task load_ini system disk-health /etc/plugins/disk.ini

To get task configuration use `sparrow task show` command:

**sparrow task show $project\_name $task\_name**

For example:

    $ sparrow task show system disk-health


Alternative way to configure sparrow task is to load configuration from yaml/json file _during_ task run:

    $ cat disk.yml

    ---
    threshold: 80

    $ sparrow task run system disk --yaml disk.yml

    $ cat disk.json

    {
      "threshold": 80
    }

    $ sparrow task run system disk --json disk.json
     
While `sparrow task ini/load_ini` command saves task configuration and makes it persistent,
`sparrow task run --yaml|--json` command applies plugin configuration only for runtime and won't save it after plugin execution.

For common usage, when user runs tasks manually first approach is more convenient, 
while the second one is a _way automatic_, when tasks configurations are kept as yaml files
and maintained out of sparrow scope and applied during task run.
 
### Removing tasks

Use this command to remove task from the project container:

**sparrow task remove $project\_name $task\_name**

Examples:

    # remove task disk-health project system
    $ sparrow task remove system disk-health

### Alternative task names notation

When working with task you may use an alternative task names notation:

    $project_name/$task_name

Examples:

    $ sparrow task run system/disk
    $ sparrow task show system/disk
    $ sparrow task remove system/disk
    $ sparrow task ini system/disk
    # so on ...

## Task boxes API

Use this command to run task box

**sparrow box run $path [opts]**

Where $path sets the file path to task box json file. A structure of the file:

    [

      {
        "task" : "task_name",
        "plugin" : "plugin_name",
        "data" : {
            : plugin parameters 
        }
      },
      {
        // another task
      },

      ...

    ]


Command example:

    $ sparrow box run /var/sparrow/boxes/nginx.json


Thus task box files should hold a list of sparrow tasks. Here is example:


    [

      {
        "task" : "install favorite packages",
        "plugin" : "package_generic",
        "data" : {
          "list" : "nano curl mc hunspell"
        }
      },
      {
        "task" : "setup git",
        "plugin" : "git-base",
        "data" : {
          "email" : "melezhik@gmail.com", "name" : "Alexey Melezhik"
          
        }
      }

    ]


To suppress some extra message from this command use `--mode quiet`:

    $ sparrow box run /path/to/my/box/ --mode quiet

# Sparrow plugins

Sparrow plugins are shareable multipurpose scenarios installed from remote sources.

There are two type of sparrow plugins:

* public plugins are provided by [SparrowHub](https://sparrowhub.org/) community repository and considered as public access.

* private plugins are provided by internal or external git repositories and _not necessary_ considered as public access.

Both public and private plugins are installed with help of sparrow client:

**sparrow plg install plugin_name**

## Public plugins

The public plugins features:

* they are kept in a central place called [SparrowHub](https://sparrowhub.org/) - community plugins repository.

* they are versioned so you may install various version of a one plugin.

 
## Private plugins

Private plugins are ones created by you and not supposed to be accessed publicly.

The private plugins features:

* they are kept in arbitrary remote git repositories ( public or private ones )

* they are not versioned, a simple \`git clone/pull' command is executed to install/update a plugin

* private plugins should be listed at sparrow plugin list file (SPL file)

### SPL file

Sparrow plugin list is represented by text file placed at `\~/sparrow.list'

SPL file should contains lines in the following format:

*$plugin\_name $git\_repo\_url*

Where:

* git\_repo\_url

Is a remote git repository URL

* plugin\_name

A name of your sparrow plugin, could be arbitrary name but see restriction notice concerning public plugin names.

Example entries:

    package-generic   https://github.com/melezhik/package-generic.git

Once you add a proper entries into SPL file you may list and install a private plugins:

    $ sparrow plg show package-generic

# Developing sparrow plugins

As sparrow support two types of plugins - swat and outthentic, follow a related documentation pages on
how to create _scenarios suites_ to gets packaged and distributes as a sparrow plugin:

* For developing outthentic scenarios suites follow [Outthentic documentation](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic).

* For developing swat scenarios suites follow [Swat documentation](https://github.com/melezhik/swat).

# Publishing public sparrow plugin to SparrowHub

Once a plugin is create you should do 4 simple steps:

* get registered on SparrowHub and create a token
* setup sparrowhub.json file
* create a plugin meta file - sparrow.json
* upload a plugin with the help of `sparrow plg upload` command

## Get registered on SparrowHub

Go to [https://sparrowhub.org/sign_up](https://sparrowhub.org/sign_up) and create an account

## Generate a token

Login into SparrowHub, go to Profile page and hit "Regenerate Token" on  [https://sparrowhub.org/token](https://sparrowhub.org/token)  page.

## Setup sparrowhub.json

Once your get you token, setup a sparrowhub credentials on the machine where you are going upload plugin from:

    $ cat ~/sparrowhub.json

    {
        "user"  : "melezhik",
        "token" : "ADB4F4DC-9F3B-11E5-B394-D4E152C9AB83"
    }

***NOTE!*** Another way to provide SparrowHub credentials is to set `$sph_user` and `$sph_token` environment variables:

    $ export sph_user=melezhik 
    $ export sph_token=ADB4F4DC-9F3B-11E5-B394-D4E152C9AB83


## Create a plugin meta file sparrow.json

Sparrow.json file holds plugin  meta information required for plugin gets uploaded to SparrowHub.

Create sparrow.json file and place it in a plugin root directory:

    {
        "name": "df-check",
        "version": "0.1.1",
        "plugin_type" : "outthentic"
        "description" : "elementary file system checks using df utility report ",
        "url" : "https://github.com/melezhik/df-check",
    }

This is description of sparrow.json parameters:

* name - plugin name.

Only symbols \`a-zA-Z1-9_-.' are allowable in plugin name. This parameter is obligatory, no default value.

* version - Perl version string.

This parameter is obligatory. A detailed information concerning version syntax could be find here - [https://metacpan.org/pod/distribution/version/lib/version.pm](https://metacpan.org/pod/distribution/version/lib/version.pm)

* plugin_type - one of two - `outthentic|swat` - sets plugin internal runner.

This parameter is obligatory. Default value is `outthentic`. 

* url - a plugin web site http URL

This parameter is optional and could be useful when you want to refer users to plugin documentation site.

* description - a short description of a plugin.

This one is optional, but very appreciated.

## Upload plugin

* Install sparrow client on your machine
    
    $ cpanm Sparrow
    
* Go to directory where your plugin source code at and say:
    
    $ sparrow plg upload
    
That's it!

# Publishing private sparrow plugins

The process is almost the same as for public plugins, except you don't have to provide SparrowHub credentials
and gets registered as you host your plugin at remote git repository. 

You have to do 3 simple steps:

* create a plugin and commit it into local git repository, plugin root directory should be repository root directory
* create plugin meta file - sparrow.json and commit it into local git repository ( sparrow.json file is the same as for public plugins )
* push your changes into remote git repository

# Declaring dependencies

This is the way how one can declare dependencies for sparrow plugins:

    +----------+----------+
    | Language |  File    |
    +----------+----------+
    | Perl     | cpanfile |
    | Ruby     | Gemfile  |
    +----------+----------+

You should place a dependency file into a plugin root directory.

# Environment variables

## SPARROW_ROOT

Sets sparrow root directory. If set than sparrow will be looking sparrow index and SPL files at following locations:

    $SPARROW_ROOT/sparrow.index 
    $SPARROW_ROOT/sparrow.list 
 
As well as projects, tasks and plugins data will be kept at $SPARROW_ROOT directory.

For example:

    $ export SPARROW_ROOT=/opt/sparrow

## SPARROW\_NO\_COLOR 

Disable color output.

    $ export SPARROW_NO_COLOR=1

# Remote Tasks

***WARNING!*** This feature is quite experimental and should be tested.

Remote tasks are sparrow tasks SparrowHub users could _bind_ to theirs accounts:

    $ sparrow project create utils

    $ sparrow task add utils  git-setup git-base

    $ sparrow task ini utils git-setup 

      email melezhik@gmail.com 
      name  'Alexey Melezhik'
 
    $ sparrow task run utils git-setup


Ok, now we could "wrap" our task and upload to our account:

    $ sparrow remote task upload utils/git-setup

***NOTE!*** to upload remote task you need a SparrowHub account.

Then I ssh-ing to another server to re-apply my git configuration:

    $ ssh some-other-host
    $ sparrow remote task install utils/git-setup

Now I can:

    $ sparrow task run utils git-setup

Pretty cool, huh? :)))

A shortcut for `sparrow remote task install ... & sparrow task run` is:

    $ sparrow remote task task run utils/git-setup

## Share your task

_By default_ remote task uploaded to SparrowHub is only accessible by task author. This is so called
private remote task. What if you want to share some fun stuff with people? - _Share_ your task:

    $ sparrow remote task share utils/nano-rc

Now users can use your remote task:

    $ sparrow remote task install melezhik@utils/nano-rc
    $ sparrow task run utils utils nano-rc

or using shortcut in single step:

    $ sparrow remote task run melezhik@utils/nano-rc

***NOTE!*** you don't need a SparrowHub account to use public remote tasks, even unregisters users can use
public remote tasks.

## Hide your task

Want to hide your task again? Not a problem:

    $ sparrow remote task hide app/passwords

Now only you can use app/passwords task.

## Add useful comments to task

When doing remote task upload you optionaly can add a comment which will be show 
when task gets listed with `sparrow remote task list` command:

    $ sparrow remote task upload utils/nano-rc 'makes nano.rc setup'

## List remote tasks

To list your remote tasks ( both private and public ) say this:

    $ sparrow remote task list

## List public tasks

To get a list of available public remote tasks say this:

    $ sparrow remote task public-list

## Remove remote task

And finaly you can remove remote task:

    $ sparrow remote task remove app/old-stuff

# AUTHOR

[Aleksei Melezhik](mailto:melezhik@gmail.com)

# Home page

[https://github.com/melezhik/sparrow](https://github.com/melezhik/sparrow)

# Copyright

Copyright 2015 Alexey Melezhik.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

# See also

* [SWAT](https://github.com/melezhik/swat) - Simple Web Application Test framework.

* [Outthentic](https://github.com/melezhik/outthentic) - Multipurpose scenarios framework.

# Thanks

To God as the One Who inspires me to do my job!
